Heat-dissipation device

ABSTRACT

A heat-dissipation device ( 1 ) is used for assembly on an outside portion of an electrically powered, heat-generating device (e.g., a notebook  6 ) for dissipation of heat produced thereby. The heat-dissipation device includes a fan ( 30 ), a thermo-electric cooler ( 20 ) disposed adjacent the fan, a processing unit ( 40 ) electrically connected with the thermo-electric cooler and the fan for controlling them, and an electrical connector ( 50 ) electrically connected with the processing unit. The connector is further electrically connected with the electrically powered, heat-generating device to be cooled. The processing unit controls the fan and the thermo-electric cooler according to signals transmitted from the electrically powered, heat-generating device, via the connector.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The invention relates generally to heat-dissipation devices and, particularly, to a heat-dissipation device that is generally assembled on an outside portion of an electrically-powered, heat-generating device (e.g., an electronic and/or micro-mechanical device) to dissipate heat generated thereby

2. Discussion of Related Art

With the continually decreasing size of electronic and/or micro-mechanical devices, an increasing emphasis is laid on improving heat-dissipation, thus to avoid structural damage. Heat-dissipation devices, such as fans, heat sinks, water-cooling devices, and heat pipes, are widely used to dissipate heat generated by such devices. In general, the heat-dissipation devices are directly assembled in an inside portion of these devices. This arrangement is a disadvantage for decreasing size of such devices.

What is needed, therefore, is a heat-dissipation device that has a high heat dissipation efficiency and is an advantage for decreasing size of any electronic and/or micro-mechanical device employing the same.

SUMMARY

A heat-dissipation device is assembled on an outside portion of an electrically-powered, heat-generating device (e.g., an electronic and/or micro-mechanical device) and is used for dissipating heat generated thereby. The heat-dissipation device includes:

-   -   a thermo-electric cooler with a cooling face portion and a         heat-dissipating face portion opposite to the cooling face         portion;     -   a fan disposed beside the cooling face portion of the         thermo-electric cooler;     -   a heat sink disposed on the heat-dissipating face portion of the         thermo-electric cooler;     -   a processing unit electrically connected with the         thermo-electric cooler and the fan, the processing unit thereby         being configured for controlling the thermo-electric cooler and         the fan; and     -   an electrical connector electrically connecting the processing         unit with the heat-generating device, the electrical connector         thereby being configured for facilitating a receipt of signals         and electricity by the heat-dissipation device.

Other advantages and novel features of the present heat-dissipation device will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present heat-dissipation device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present heat-dissipation device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a plane view of a heat-dissipation device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing a rotational state of an electrical connector of the heat-dissipation device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the heat-dissipation device in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an assembly view of the heat-dissipation device in FIG. 1 and a notebook, showing an application of the present heat-dissipation device.

The exemplifications set out herein illustrate at least one preferred embodiment of the present heat-dissipation device, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of such a device in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe embodiments of the present heat-dissipation device, in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a heat-dissipation device 1 is illustrated in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The heat-dissipation device 1 is adapted for being assembled on an outside portion of an electrically-powered, heat-generating device, such as an electronic and/or micro-mechanical device, to dissipate heat generated thereby. The heat-dissipation device 1 generally includes a base 10, a thermo-electric cooler (TEC) 20, a fan 30, a processing unit 40 (e.g., a single crystal processing unit), and an electrical connector 50 formed on the base 10, respectively.

The base 10 has a generally flat configuration with a generally rectangular cavity 12 defined in a lower portion thereof. A pair of recesses 14 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 3) is defined in two portions of the base 10, and each is in communication with the cavity 12. The thermo-electric cooler 20 (i.e., a refrigeration/cooling unit) is arranged on a top portion of the base 10, with a heat-dissipating end or face portion 22 and a cooling end or face portion 24 formed/located on opposite ends/sides thereof. A heat sink 26 is disposed on and adjacent the heat-dissipating face portion 22. The heat sink 26 has a plurality of heat fins 262 arranged in a parallel manner. The fan 30 is an axial flow fan with an air-entrance end/side (not labeled). The fan 30 is disposed beside the cooling face portion 24 of the thermo-electric cooler 20, with the air-entrance end thereof preferably facing the thermo-electric cooler 20 (in order to draw heat away therefrom). An interspace 32 is formed between the air-entrance end of the fan 30 and the cooling face portion 24 of the heat-dissipating face portion 24, in order to allow for airflow for effective operation of the fan 30. The processing unit 40 is generally disposed in an upper portion of the base 10 and is electrically connected with the thermo-electric cooler 20, the fan 30, and the connector 50.

The connector 50 has a secured end portion 52 and a port portion 54 opposite to the secured end portion 52. A channel (not labeled) is defined in an end of the secure end portion 52. A hinge 56 is received in the channel with two ends thereof extending from the channel, respectively. The hinge 56, as seen in FIG. 3, is further received in the recesses 14 of the base 10. The connector 50 is rotatablely disposed in the cavity 12 of the base 10 via the ends of the hinge 56. The port portion 54 has data bus terminals (not labeled) arranged in a standard pattern such as USB, IEEE1394 and so on. The data bus terminals are used for transmitting temperature signals from the electronic and/or micro-mechanical device to the processing unit of the heat-dissipation device 1. Preferably, the port portion 54 has at least one power terminal (not labeled) that could be used for providing electricity for the heat-dissipation device 1 directly from the electronic and/or micro-mechanical device.

In an alternate embodiment, the processing unit 40 and the connector 50 could be directly assembled in a portion of the thermoelectric cooler 20 and/or fan 30, and the base 10 could thus be omitted.

Additionally, a plurality of condensate pipes 34 can be disposed between the fan 30 and the thermo-electric cooler 20, in order to increase the dissipation efficiency of the thermoelectric cooler 20. Such condensate pipes 34 also serve as spacers, creating room for airflow between the fan 30 and the thermo-electric cooler 20 via the interspace 32.

In use, the heat-dissipation device 1 is assembled on the electronic and/or micro-mechanical device with an electrical connection between the connector of the heat-dissipation device and an outside port of the electronic and/or micro-mechanical device. The processing unit 40 controls the rotation speed of the fan 30 and the power of the thermo-electric cooler 20, according to the signals transmitted from the electronic and/or micro-mechanical device via the connector 50. Therefore, the heat-dissipation device 1 controllably dissipates the heat generated by the electronic and/or micro-mechanical device.

Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary heat-dissipation method of using the present heat-dissipation device to dissipate the heat generated by a notebook 6 is provided. The notebook 6 includes a base 60 and a cover 62 hinged on an edge (not labeled) of the base 60. The base 60 has a keyboard 64 formed on an upper portion thereof, and an outside port (not labeled) disposed on a side portion (not labeled) thereof. This heat-dissipation method has a series of steps of:

-   (a) rotating the connector 50 to expose the port portion 54 out of     the cavity 12 of base -   (b) assembling the heat-dissipation device 1 onto the notebook 6,     forming an electrical connection between the connector 50 of the     heat-dissipation device 1 and the outside port of the notebook 6 and     positioning the fan 30 so as to face the keyboard 64; -   (c) applying electricity for the heat-dissipation device 1 via the     notebook 6; -   (d) transmitting control signals to the notebook 6 according to the     processing unit 40 of the heat-dissipation device 1, and     transmitting inner temperature signals associated with the notebook     6 back to the processing unit 40, via the connection between the     connector 50 and the outside port, and -   (e) controlling the fan 30, using the processing unit 40, to rotate     at a preferred speed and controlling the thermoelectric cooler 20 to     run at a preferred power, thereby dissipating the heat from the     notebook 6 through the keyboard 64 thereof at a rate sufficient to     maintain a desired temperature within the notebook 6.

Finally, it is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate rather than limit the invention. Variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of the invention but do not restrict the scope of the invention. 

1. A heat-dissipation device comprising: a base; a thermoelectric cooler disposed on an upper portion of the base, the thermoelectric cooler having a cooling face portion and a heat-dissipating face portion opposite to the cooling face portion; a fan disposed on the base and near the cooling face portion of the thermo-electric cooler, the fan having an air-entrance end facing the cooling face portion of the thermo-electric cooler, an interspace defined between the air-entering end and the thermoelectric cooler; an electrical connector disposed in a lower portion of the base, the connector having a port portion with at least one data bus terminal; and a processing unit disposed in the base, the processing unit being electrically connected with the thermo-electric cooler, the fan, and the connector, the processing unit being configured for controlling the rotation speed of fan and the power of the thermo-electric cooler according to signals transmitted from the at least one data bus terminal of the connector.
 2. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of condensate pipes disposed between the fan and the thermo-electric cooler.
 3. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a heat sink disposed on the heat-dissipating face portion of the thermo-electric cooler, the heat sink having a plurality of heat fins arranged thereon in a parallel manner.
 4. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base has a cavity in the lower portion thereof, and the connector is rotatablely received in the cavity.
 5. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a pair of recesses is defined in the base, each recess respectively communicating with the cavity, the connector further having a hinge located on an end thereof, the connector being received in the cavity via two opposite ends of the hinge, the two opposite ends of the hinge being received in the respective recesses of the base.
 6. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one said data bus terminal is arranged in a standard pattern of USB or IEEE1394.
 7. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the port portion further has at least one power terminal.
 8. A cooled heat-generating assembly comprising: an electrically-powered device having an outside port; a heat-dissipation device assembled onto the electrically-powered device, the heat-dissipation device comprising: an electrical connector electrically connected with the outside port of the electrically-powered device; a processing unit electrically connected with the connector; a fan electrically connected with the processing unit, the fan facing the electrically-powered device and having an air-entrance end; and a thermo-electric cooler connected with the processing unit and disposed beside the air-entrance end of the fan; wherein the processing unit transmits control signals to the electrically-powered device via the connection between the connector and the outside port, the electrically-powered device transmits temperature signals back to the processing unit, and the processing unit controls the thermoelectric cooler and the fan according to the temperature signals.
 9. The cooled heat-generating assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the heat-dissipation device further comprises a heat sink disposed on a face of the thermo-electric cooler opposite to the fan.
 10. The cooled heat-generating assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of heat fins arranged in a parallel manner.
 11. The cooled heat-generating assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the heat-dissipation device further comprises a plurality of condensate pipes disposed between the fan and the thermoelectric cooler.
 12. A heat-dissipation device adapted for assembly on an outside portion of an electrically-powered device for dissipating heat generated thereby, the heat-dissipation device comprising: a thermoelectric cooler with a cooling face portion and a heat-dissipating face portion opposite to the cooling face portion; a fan disposed beside the cooling face portion of the thermoelectric cooler; a heat sink disposed on the heat-dissipating face portion of the thermo-electric cooler, a processing unit electrically connected with the thermo-electric cooler and the fan, the processing unit thereby being configured for controlling the thermo-electric cooler and the fan; and an electrical connector electrically connected with the processing unit, the connector electrically connected with the electrically-powered device, the connector being adapted for applying signals and electricity received from the electrically-powered device to the heat-dissipation device.
 13. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a plurality of condensate pipes disposed between the air-entrance end of the fan and the cooling face portion of the thermo-electric cooler.
 14. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of heat fins arranged in a parallel manner.
 15. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the connector has at least one data bus terminal associated therewith.
 16. The heat-dissipation device as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one said data bus terminal is selected from one of IEEE1394 and USB. 